In an effort to maintain front-office stability, Payton inserted a clause into his Sept.-2011 contract extension allowing him to bolt "The Big Easy" if general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended or fired. That clause was at the heart of the NFL's decision to void the contract, leading to hand-wringing over Payton's future in New Orleans.

Although the Payton-Loomis tag-team will have its hands full restocking a depleted defense in a more competitive NFC South disivion, Saints fans can rest assured that the tiller is once again pointed in the right direction after a tumultuous 2012.